Dr. Stulc Discusses Regenerative Medicine Safety

When a treatment is relatively new, patients are understandably concerned about safety. Regenerative medicine is an exciting but recently emerging orthopedic treatment option. Physiatrist and regenerative medicine specialist Dr. Steven Stulc discusses patient concerns about treatment safety, and separates fact from fiction when it comes to regenerative medicine risks.

How regenerative medicine works

The concept behind regenerative medicine is simple. This treatment takes your body’s healing factors, concentrates them, then reintroduces these healing agents to a site of injury. These healing components can help to start or accelerate the healing process. The concept is simple, but research continues to refine the effectiveness of regenerative treatments.

Medical research informs understanding about treatment safety

“Safety is our top priority when we offer patients an emerging treatment like regenerative medicine,” notes Dr. Stulc. “We have to be sure our treatments are safe. Research on orthopedic applications for regenerative medicine is constantly evolving, and we closely monitor new studies for any areas of concern. Our orthopedic applications are well documented by medical studies and considered very safe.”

Summit uses two types of concentrated regenerative substances: platelet-rich plasma (PRP) and bone marrow aspirate concentrate (BMAC). Both substances harness the energy of adult stem cells. Blood and bone marrow aspirate are harvested, concentrated, and delivered to the site of injury in minimally invasive outpatient procedures. “The safety of adult stem cell substances we use is well demonstrated in the literature,” Dr. Stulc points out.

Standardization of regenerative therapies continues to evolve

“I am always happy to share research with my patients,” says Dr. Stulc. “In fact, I give each patient at least one research paper supporting the treatment we are considering. I also discuss treatment questions that are currently being investigated. For example, with procedures like platelet-rich plasma for tendon, research is still exploring the ideal plasma concentration. Studies are comparing the outcomes of concentrations that may be three times, seven times, or 10 times above baseline platelet concentration. We don’t know yet whether one concentration is more effective than another.”

However, there are guidelines we have learned from recent studies. For example, research has shown that it’s not ideal to treat arthritis with a PRP concentration containing white blood cells. “A high white blood cell concentration, or leukocyte prep, is shown to have inflammatory properties,” explains Dr. Stulc. “Based on this knowledge, we use a low leukocyte prep to treat arthritis. But studies do suggest that a high leukocyte preparation is better for tendon treatments. Emerging studies help us to refine and personalize therapies for the best patient outcome. That’s why we monitor new research reports carefully.”

Fact versus myth about regenerative medicine safety

There are several safety-related questions that Dr. Stulc hears regularly from patients. Two concerns are easily addressed.

“Some patients want to know if stem cells can form tumors,” says Dr. Stulc. “We know that they cannot. The therapies we use are very safe. There is no risk of a tumor forming as the result of an orthopedic regenerative treatment.”

Many people think of stem cells as pluripotent, meaning they can turn into any kind of tissue from cartilage to bone to a tooth. “Some patients worry that if they receive a regenerative treatment, it might cause the wrong type of tissue to grow in their joint,” notes Dr. Stulc. “I explain that only embryonic stem cells are pluripotent. We don’t use embryonic stem cells in our treatments because of ethical and safety concerns. The adult stem cells we use carry no risk of growing into an unintended tissue type.”

There’s low infection risk with regenerative medicine

“Infection is always a risk when you introduce a substance into an injured area of the body,” says Dr. Stulc. “But the very essence of regenerative substances is that they have antimicrobial properties. This means that the risk of infection with regenerative therapies is very low.”

Patients on blood-thinning medications are not good treatment candidates

“Because we are using your own platelets for PRP treatments, we want a robust platelet harvest,” explains Dr. Stulc. “For this reason, people who are on blood-thinning or platelet-inhibiting medicines are not good candidates for regenerative treatments. Because their platelets are weakened, they aren’t going to yield as rich a harvest of stem cells. People with blood cancers like leukemia also are not good candidates; they simply aren’t going to have many stem cells to harvest.

“At Summit, our priority is to do procedures that are safe and that do not cause harm,” concludes Dr. Stulc. “Based on the existing body of research, we are confident of the safety of the regenerative therapies we offer. They may not always work as well as we hope they will, but there aren’t any negative consequences to trying these treatments.”

Summit Orthopedics supports healthy communities

Community health flourishes when specialized orthopedic care is conveniently available close to home. Summit Orthopedics is proud of our fellowship-trained subspecialty teams offering the full spectrum of orthopedic expertise in bone, tendon, ligament, muscle, and joint conditions—in addition to our wellness, prevention, and rehabilitation services. We have the expertise to proactively improve fitness, evaluate discomfort, and deliver personalized treatment to quickly and safely return you to the lifestyle you love.

Summit has convenient locations across the Minneapolis-St. Paul metro area, serving Minnesota and western Wisconsin. We have state-of-the-art centers for comprehensive orthopedic care in Eagan, MN, Vadnais Heights, MN, and Woodbury, MN, as well as several additional community clinics.

Summit Orthopedics provides the Twin Cities and greater Minnesota with comprehensive orthopedic care. Our expert team of physicians, surgeons, physician assistants, certified athletic trainers, and therapists are available at a clinic location near you.

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